1906 porcelain license plate #1, the very first issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Absolutely unique and authentic, and accompanied by an archive of supportive documentation tracing back to the plates original owner. Sold within estimate for $27,060.

DENVER, PA.- It pays to advertise, but investing in rare oil and gas company advertising signage pays even better. Thats the conclusion that can be drawn from Morphy Auctions May 13-14 Automobilia & Petroliana sale, which garnered excellent prices across the board and totaled $1.2 million  20% more than the overall low estimate.

Market prices are stronger than ever, and interest in antique and vintage gas and oil memorabilia remains very strong, said Dan Morphy, founder and president of Morphy Auctions. Our team went above and beyond in this challenging time to accommodate all customers bidding needs with absentee and phone bidding, and more importantly, online bidding through Morphy Live, where we debuted live streaming, which proved to be a huge hit with our customers.

A spectacular array of 530 premium-quality signs brought color and eye appeal to the 802-lot specialty auction, which featured several important collections, including a premier assemblage from Canada. An elusive circa-1940s porcelain sign advertising Harbor Petroleum Products, of Long Beach, California, rose to the top of prices realized. Boasting 8.9+ condition, the high-gloss sign with an image of a Boeing 314 Clipper airplane coasting over water landed comfortably within its estimate range for $44,000.

A round, 30-inch-diameter Shell Aviation Gasoline porcelain sign had everything going for it: rarity, bright colors, and beautiful graphics including a central clamshell. Very hard to find in any condition, Morphys example was graded 8.75+, with only minor chipping to the edge and no condition exceptions to the field itself. Estimated at $7,000-$10,000, it attracted 21 bids before settling at $20,910.

Yet another advertising classic touting the popular Shell brand was a two-piece shell-shaped porcelain neon sign measuring 61 by 54 by 6 inches and retaining all four of its original display brackets. It came to auction with a $9,000-$13,000 estimate and was soon off to a new owner for an impressive $17,220.

Many bidders competed for a neon sign promoting a West Coast company called Pacific Bait & Tackle. With Art Deco styling and letters that illuminate in four colors on each side, the signs focal point is a painted, neon-outlined fish that leaps from a neon-detailed body of water. This visual knockout sold near the top of its estimate range, reeling in $23,370.

The long list of coveted signs also included: a rare Wood Oils & Gasoline tin service station sign with a roaring-lion mascot, $15,990; an unflawed new/old stock tin sign for a Diamond T Trucks dealership, $10,455; and a Get Badger Tires Right Here tin sign with original wood frame, $7,995. Also finishing at $7,995 was a Mobil Gasoline porcelain cookie-cutter sign depicting the companys flying-horse mascot Pegasus.

Thirty-five gas pumps and 46 globes found favor with bidders. A finely restored Wayne 50 illuminating showcase gas pump with Super Shell one-piece cast globe, Shell side decals, and central glass shelving was entered with a $12,000-$20,000 estimate. It was bid to a healthy $17,220.

One of todays most popular subcategories within the broad classification of petroliana is that of antique and collectible license plates. Morphys presented 30 extremely desirable examples, led by the unique porcelain plate emblazoned with the number 1 that was issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1906. Unquestionably authentic and truly one of a kind, it was accompanied by an extensive archive of supportive documentation dating back more than a century to the plates original owner. Morphys catalog description noted that only one or two other true first-issue #1s license plates [exist] in the USA, a fact that added considerable cachet to the lot. After 14 bids, the license plate changed hands for $27,060.